Donor Stories

School of Nursing alumna Susan Forstrom helps shape the future of health care

By Aneisha Tucker

Top: Susan Forstrom (center) pictured with School of Nursing Foundation Board members Patricia Robertson, ‘68 (left) and Susan Lampe ‘77 (right). Left: Susan Forstrom pictured with Marie Manthy ‘64, ‘62. Right: Susan Forstrom in 1963.

For Susan Forstrom, BSN ’65, MS ’79, the call to philanthropy came later in life. The “call” was an invitation from Christine Sietz and Carol Kelsey to take the lead in fundraising efforts to establish a professorship in nursing innovation and entrepreneurship. “My initial thought was asking a person for money is not something I would enjoy,” says Forstrom “But then, I thought about how the education I received from the School of Nursing really prepared me for my nursing career and this would be a way for me to give back.” Forstrom accepted the invitation and her initial reluctance ultimately led to her creating a planned gift to support a priority initiative for the School of Nursing.

Forstrom, who received her BSN in 1965 and her MS in 1979 from the School of Nursing, fondly remembers her time on campus as an undergraduate student living in Powell Hall and several years later while earning her master’s in psych-mental health nursing. Since then she’s experienced a varied and successful nursing career spanning more than 30 years, beginning as a U.S. Army nurse stationed in Germany, to a nurse consultant with Creative Health Care Management (CHCM) where she formerly retired in 2001 and periodically returns to do consulting work.

Health care in the U.S. is experiencing unprecedented systemic and technological changes that have expanded the role for the nursing profession. Forstrom recognizes the need for students to be prepared to meet the demands of the evolving health care environment and is impressed by the quality of students she’s met while serving on the School of Nursing Foundation Board and the Board of Sigma Theta Tau International, Zeta Chapter. “These are really bright nurses and I’m encouraged for the field of nursing and health care,“ she says. “I’ve been quite amazed at the diversity of the research and interests and what’s been accomplished. The research is directly benefiting the students and the public through the education they are receiving. It’s been wonderful to see how we [School of Nursing] are preparing today’s nurses.” Forstrom is also pleased to know her gift and fundraising efforts will help support scholarships and fellowships to supplement the cost of students’ education.

Although retired, the planned giving opportunity enabled Forstrom to make a significant provision to support a professorship in nursing innovation and entrepreneurship, which she feels is knowledge strongly needed for nursing and health care profession today. And, in a time where state support will continue to diminish, she knows the importance for a school to be able to recruit and retain the top faculty and researchers. “How we do this is by raising private funds to support initiatives like student scholarships, professorships, and chairs,” she says. “I hope the Marie Manthey Professorship in Innovation will enable future nurses and faculty to strike out against old trends and be innovative, take risks, and feel the safety in doing so.” The experience she gained while interacting with potential donors, uncovered something unexpected, “I found that I didn’t mind doing the asking,” says Forstrom. “Had I not been asked, I never would have thought to be involved in fundraising. I would definitely do this again.” She also learned that finding a topic that someone is passionate about and linking that connection to the school made the ‘ask’ much easier.

“The efforts of Susan Forstrom, like many alumni and friends of the school, make a significant impact on the ability of the School of Nursing to stay on the forefront of innovation.” says Gigi Fourre Schumacher, development director of the School of Nursing. “Her commitment makes a significant difference in moving the school forward to meet the demands of our changing health care climate.”

For more information about making a contribution or establishing a new scholarship that will benefit nursing students, please contact the Director of Development, Gigi Fourré Schumacher at 612-625-1365 or gschumac@umn.edu.